Angelina Jolie is not "78 pounds," contrary to a tabloid cover story that sensationally contends the actress is just "skin and bones." Gossip Cop can not only bust this report about her alleged weight loss, but also expose its complete unoriginality.

The new cover of the National Enquirer claims to know the "secret that's killing" Jolie, and touts that it has "frightening photos." The photo on the front of the supermarket tabloid, however, is seemingly photoshopped. It appears to have been digitally edited to make Jolie's thin frame appear skeletal. As seen in a number of recent pictures of the star out with her family, she does not actually look that way. In fact, she looks far healthier in the supposedly "frightening photos" featured inside the edition than the one showcased on the cover. And that cover picture is actually from 2014. Clearly, the gossip magazine just wanted to dupe consumers into buying a copy.

Still, the article is dramatically headlined, "Scary-Skinny Angie Sick Again!" Part of the story's premise is that "walking skeleton" Jolie is so thin, she "needs [a] sweater to stay warm in summer!" As evidence, there are four snapshots of her covered up in May, June, and July. Yet, contradictorily, the cover picture has Jolie (sweaterless) in a tank top, as do the two main photos accompanying the story. There goes that theory.

Nevertheless, the outlet writes, "After bouncing back from the brink of death, Angelina Jolie has suffered a dramatic relapse and wasted away to a life-threatening 78 pounds!" A doctor who has never met Jolie asserts that she looks "cachectic, pale and exhausted," while a supposed "pal" exclaims she "looks as bad as she ever has!" But what "secret" is "killing" her?

The publication never says. Instead it merely speculates that Jolie's alleged weight loss is the result of her split from Brad Pitt, who supposedly "rushed to her side" amidst this purported health crisis. A so-called "insider" for the tabloid is quoted as saying, "He told her she had to take care of herself and start eating for the sake of their kids." But Gossip Cop is told that no such intervention ever happened, nor was one needed.

Rather, this is the same tale that the National Enquirer seems to rewrite every few months. The tabloid claims again and again that Jolie is deathly skinny, and again and again she goes on living her life without incident. Last December, the magazine wrongly claimed Jolie was on the verge of being hospitalized. In that tale, she was 76 pounds, two less than what's being alleged now. That was followed in January by nonsense about the supposedly 76-pound Jolie being on a hunger strike.

Both cover stories asserted she was on the brink of death. Notably, in May, the outlet flip-flopped on Jolie dying with fake news about her having a procedure done involving sheep placenta that supposedly saved her life. Of course, now the publication has flip-flopped back in the other direction with this "relapse" tale. It's still all garbage.

Gossip Cop is once again assured by a Jolie insider that she takes care of herself, precisely because she needs to be healthy to raise six children. It's disgusting that the tabloid keeps trying to peddle these lies.

Our Verdict

Articles written by Gossip Cop Staff are collaborative pieces in which a handful of reporters team up on a story. Often one or two reporters are simultaneously fact-checking and writing various aspects of an article, with the common intent of transparently conveying to readers how we've arrived at our information. Each of our staffers have many years of experience in journalism and reporting on the entertainment industry. The Gossip Cop Staff can be reached at [email protected]